Which pattern is this? (Factory/Builder/Mapper/other)

Question

I took clues from DataMapper pattern to create something like this:

class BusinessObjectCreator
{
    public function create()
    {
        //Acquire Data
        $number = filter_input(INPUT_POST, "number", FILTER_SANITIZE_INT);

        //create and populate object
        $object = new Object();
        $object->setNumber($number);
        return $object;
    }
}

//usage:
$objectInstance = (new BusinessObjectCreator())->create();

//examples of usage once created
$objectInstance->someBusinessFunction();
echo $objectInstance->getNumber();

But to me it also looks like a Factory pattern or a Builder pattern.

Which is it? and did I code it up correctly?

Purpose is to create an object instance populated with data. Then I can use the created object to do operations on the data.

Just a casual comment/question: Why don't you use dependency injection? In other words, why don't you pass an Object to the create method? — Guillermo Mansilla, Aug 11 '15 at 20:25
Do you mean why don't I create the object elsewhere and then pass it into `create()` function, (then populate the object, and return it)? — Dennis, Aug 11 '15 at 20:28
^ if I understood it correctly ... I can. It will just make the pattern different. I can create object elsewhere and change the name to `BusinessObjectPopulator` to reflect the purpose better. — Dennis, Aug 11 '15 at 20:41
Yes, I understand that this (pass the object as a parameter or create the object inside the function) is not what you're asking. I just wanted to point out something that can be improved. As for the question per se, this patters seems like a factory to me and it can still be improved by having your class to implement an interface. — Guillermo Mansilla, Aug 11 '15 at 21:01
what kind of an interface do you mean? I am not sure I understood. Also, I can further improve on this by injecting input source rather than having input source hardcoded into the class like I have right now. — Dennis, Aug 11 '15 at 21:14
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/757743/what-is-the-difference-between-builder-design-pattern-and-factory-design-pattern — Henrique Barcelos, Aug 12 '15 at 20:49

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited Aug 12 '15 at 00:04

This looks like a Factory Method. The naming convention leads you to think it's the builder pattern which has a separate object for the building of the concrete object. You have a separate object but are not setting the data like a builder would.

I'm not too familiar with PHP but to make it a builder pattern you'd create methods for the data, then call create()/build() at the end of the method chain.

It's creation would look like this

$objInstance = (new BusinessObject())->number($number)->create();

Since you only have a class with a method that creates an object, this pattern falls into the factory method category. Usually you use a builder when there are a lot of potential different configurations of an object upon creation, so you may just stick the factory method, if you only are setting one piece of data.

Builder Pattern

well in my application I am setting up several pieces -- model name, various input parameters, and other data. It is done at the same time (i.e. all data is known at the same point in time) — Dennis, Aug 11 '15 at 21:49

Which pattern is this? (Factory/Builder/Mapper/other)

1 Answers1